the perfect storm
by MedusaOfTheSpecies
Summary: Percy Weasley will do anything for his sister. :: For QLFC Round 11


**Main Prompt:** A character defects from the light side to join the dark (Restriction: not Peter)

**Optional Prompts:** 5 (dialogue) "Wait a minute, what just happened here?" / 8. (color) emerald green / 14. (emotion) anger

* * *

"Percy!"

The loud yell of his younger sister made Percy jump and knock over his inkwell. He cursed in frustration. A pool of blue obscured the words on the parchment, the letters disappearing into the flood of ink. Percy reached across for some tissues just as Ginny knocked and pushed the door of his room open.

"What's wrong, Gin?" Percy asked, trying but failing to keep the irritation from his voice.

"I just wanted to—why is there ink everywhere?"

Ginny walked over to him, still in her pyjamas, and cocked her head to the side in curiosity. Percy blotted the desk, ink staining his fingers and explained that he'd knocked it accidentally. His anger dissipated slightly; he always found it hard to be angry at his younger sister. She handed him more tissues quietly and waited patiently until he'd cleaned it up the best he could before speaking again.

"Do you want this?" Ginny held out a navy journal to him. "I found it with all my things from Diagon Alley; I don't really need it."

Percy contemplated it. He could use it as a work diary perhaps. "You sure you don't want it?"

"Yeah," Ginny nodded. "My trunk is already _really _full."

_She was packed already?_ Percy was surprised that she was that organised, and shrugged, taking the book from her.

"Thanks, Gin." He smiled.

"You're still going to tell me more about Hogwarts tonight, aren't you?"

Percy nodded. His younger sister beamed and left the room with an excitable expression of gratitude. Percy smiled to himself; Ginny was his favourite sibling.

Percy inspected the journal in his hand. It seemed old, and yet, it was beautifully bound in navy leather. Most importantly, it was blank. It would be useful for keeping track of his homework. Percy tossed the journal onto his bed and turned back to tidy up the mess on his desk.

* * *

Percy's return to Hogwarts for sixth year was as uneventful as expected. He was wildly unpopular amongst his housemates, if only just because he was a nerd and the other boys were loud, Quidditch-obsessed morons. He supposed that he'd isolated himself a little, but now, it was practically as though he was invisible. No one congratulated him for getting all O's in his O.W.L's; no one congratulated him for being at the top of most of his classes.

No one cared.

After a week, whilst looking for his spare tie in his trunk, Percy came across the journal that Ginny had given him. He'd forgotten about it. Pulling it out, he decided now would be a good time to note down all his homework before he had to go out for his prefect patrol.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Percy opened up a pot of black ink and leant forward to write his name on the first page.

Just as he finished writing '_Percy Weasley_' neatly in the bottom corner, the ink faded away and was replaced with another set of emerald green handwriting.

_Good evening, Percy. My name's Tom._

Percy retracted his hand quickly, eyebrows shooting upwards. He hadn't been expecting that—books shouldn't write back. His mind ticked over the possibilities; it would take a lot of skill for someone to charm a book to write like it had a mind of its own. Percy was curious but he wasn't sure whether he should write in it further. As he debated the pros and cons more words appeared in an elegant handwriting.

_Percy? Are you still there?_

Percy bit his lip and leant forward to write. It was a daring move, but he wanted to know how this was possible—how a normal journal could do this.

'I am. How is it you are writing to me?'

_It is understandable that you are curious._

'Wouldn't you be?'

_Naturally. Curiosity helps broaden the mind—humans should be nothing if not curious._

Percy's quill hovered above the page. He couldn't help but agree with Tom—his natural curiosity was responsible for how well Percy did in school. He always wanted to know everything; he always wanted to know more.

'Then you understand that I want to know how a book is having a conversation with me.'

_I admire your determination, Percy. I will tell you. A piece of my soul is trapped, so to speak, in this diary._

'A piece?'

_Yes._

'That's not possible. I read that magic that tampers with your soul is impossible with the exception of an unbreakable vow.'

_Don't believe everything you read. Even after our ephemeral time together I am sure that you aren't that gullible. _

Percy felt his cheeks warm slightly. He wasn't gullible; he also wasn't stupid enough to believe everything that Tom was telling him without doing his own research. Perhaps in the restricted section Percy would find something that would tell him more about the magic surrounding the diary he was now in possession of. He snapped the book shut—locked it away—and then left the dormitory. He could think about it whilst he was on his patrol this evening.

* * *

Despite his research and each daring escapade into the restricted section, Percy found himself unable to find any information about the diary. Tom was remaining quite tight-lipped as well, which was highly infuriating. Although, that being said, Percy was quickly noticing similarities between himself and the boy in the book. They were both intelligent and ambitious. Percy confessed himself content to finally find someone he could get along with.

The oldest Weasley at Hogwarts was stretched out by the lake. He was desperately trying to soak up the last of the good weather before it turned cold. He had a book on Unbreakable Vows open in his lap and the piece of parchment to his right was split into four segments. Multi-tasking was one thing he was good at, so as he did his research, he was jotting down notes on the four remaining essays he had to write before the week was out.

It was a quiet spot, away from the noisier students out on the grounds. Occasionally Percy would notice the tentacles of the Giant Squid break the surface of the lake out of the corner of his eye. That was something very few got to witness — the Squid seemed to know when it was being watched. However, the third time Percy noticed them in his peripheral vision, it seemed the Squid was trying to attract his attention. Frowning, he looked up. The tentacles slipped beneath the surface and, instead, Percy's eyes were drawn to his younger sister further along the embankment. She was with another small group of Gryffindor girls.

Percy watched them with vague curiosity and was about to go back to his reading when something unexpected happened. The brown-haired girl of the group took a step towards Ginny and pushed her hard, causing her to trip over someone's outstretched foot. Percy was up and storming over before he could really think about what he was going to do when he got there.

"Wait a minute, what just happened here?" he yelled. "What is going on!"

The three other girls jumped at Percy's voice and started sprinting away towards the castle. Percy's priority was Ginny, who was still lying on the grass where she'd been tripped. He strode over and Ginny looked up at him with wide eyes. Percy held his hand out but his younger sister ignored it and scrambled to her feet.

"Gin—" Percy began.

"I'm fine; it's nothing." Ginny's face was flushed as she brushed the dirt from her skirt. "It's just a misunderstanding."

Percy scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. That girl was quite clearly a bully—and the others."

"Percy, leave it!"

Ginny snapped so loud that he was startled. He was only trying to protect her; Ginny was his family. He forced himself to soften his expression and began to say her name. She shook her head and stalked away, leaving him standing alone. He wanted to know who that girl was; he was furious. That bully had hurt Ginny so much that she was scared to talk to him.

Alternating between being furious and feeling hurt, Percy returned to his things. Running a hand through his hair, he kicked his bag hard. It rolled over and his books slid out. On the top was Tom, well, the diary with Tom inside.

It would be better to rant to him than do anything stupid. Percy dropped back onto the patch of grass he'd been sat on before and snatched the diary and a quill up. Putting the nib to the page, Percy began scribbling furiously.

'Some girl is bullying my sister. I just watched her push Ginny to the ground and then run off with her cronies before I could do anything. And now Ginny is furious at me for trying to defend her. She's family! She doesn't understand. I could kill this stupid girl for doing this to my family.'

_There's a time and place for everything, Percy. Now is not the time or place, no matter how much this girl has caused your sister pain. She deserves a well thought through attack; you can do better than just giving this filth a detention._

'What are you saying, Tom?'

_I'm saying. Let me help you and we will engage that glorious brain of yours to get revenge for your sister. Ginny deserves better; you deserve better._

Percy clicked his tongue as looked down at the familiar emerald cursive. He did deserve better; Ginny deserved better.

'Okay. Help me, Tom.'

* * *

Three months passed before Percy was stood with euphoria flowing through his veins.

Demelza Robins was lay at his feet. Her eyes were fixed upwards in a dead stare, and given that she had continued to torture Ginny post the event out on the grounds, Percy wrinkled his nose in disgust. This felt like it had been too quick a death for the bitch after Ginny had kept coming to him crying. He would have preferred to keep her alive for a little longer just to make sure she knew who was doing this to her. Tom was right though; they should be discrete.

Speaking of Tom—

"Oh, the storm is raging against us now." Tom's voice cut through the silence that had encapsulated them. "And we will face it head on, Percy. You deserve the best — we both do. Ginny too. This _girl _she was nothing but a bully ready to destroy your sister's life."

Percy's eyes moved to the now solid figure of Tom Riddle to his left.

The magic Percy had cast to feed Demelza's life force into Tom was the most difficult he'd ever attempted in his life. But as his eyes were drawn to the proud expression on Tom's face, Percy felt pure elation. The magic had been worth it.

His sister was unburdened. His friend was alive once more. They would be unstoppable.

He would be unstoppable.


End file.
